Victorian Minister plugs telematics to Taiwanese

Stan Beer
Friday, 14 October 2005 10:00

IT Industry - Strategy

Victoria's Manufacturing and Export Minister, Andre Haermeyer has urged Taiwanese electronics companies to capitalise on  opportunities to do telematics business in his state.

Delivering a keynote address at the 2005 Telematics & Automotive Electronics Forum in Tapei, Mr Haermeyer said it was an ideal time to forge strategic alliances and profit from the worldwide boom in Telematics technology.

Telematics was originally coined to mean the union of telecommunications and information processing but has since evolved to refer to automotive systems that combine GPS satellite tracking and wireless communication for automatic roadside assistance and remote diagnostics.

'Victoria has a combination of automotive and electronics manufacturing strengths that make us an ideal international partner in Telematics initiatives,' Mr Haermeyer said.

'The Australian Taiwan Electronics/ICT Strategic Framework Agreement (ATSFA), signed on 19 July, contains 67 projects agreed to by both the Australian and Taiwanese industries.

'Six of these projects have been categorised as 'Gold Star' ultra-high priority projects and all six emanate from Victoria.

'The companies involved are very keen to commence collaboration with Taiwanese firms and I eagerly anticipate a wide range of mutually beneficial and practical outcomes.'

ATSFA has identified Telematics as one of the top priority areas to receive support under the agreement.

Mr Haermeyer said Victoria was a front-runner in the emerging Telematics sector, as a result of its advanced manufacturing base and range of sophisticated capabilities.

'Victoria is the home of Australian manufacturing with an industry critical mass producing more electronics and automotive outputs than any other state or territory,' Haermeyer said.

'Victoria also has extensive systems integration skills, merging sometimes unlike technologies into a vehicle so that all systems are compatible and work to their design specifications."

Haermeyer said an existing trade relationship worth $1.7 billion per year and synergies between the Victorian and Taiwanese ICT industries provided a solid base for collaboration.

'The opportunities were demonstrated by last year's Victorian trade mission to North Asia which focused on the Taitronics trade exhibition in Tapei and generated almost $60 million in actual and anticipated sales over three years,' Mr Haermeyer said.

'However there is clearly scope for further strengthening and expanding our relationship.

'I am here in Tapei to promote what Victoria can offer and, in particular, to accelerate outcomes from this year's landmark bilateral Electronics & ICT agreement.'